Hostel recommendations please?!

My boyfriend and I are planning a trip to America next April and we're looking into hostels. These are the places we need to book hostels for so if anyone has any recommendations that would be great. We're looking for something cheap but not in horrible areas

- Marco Island, Miami (not our choice, just a bit too expensive for our budget! Got a wedding to go to there)
- Sans Francisco - one night, preferably near Alcatraz
- New York - 5 nights, one of which might need to be a midtown Hotel between 23rd - 75th streets if we decide to go on a Niagara Falls trip for a day or two (that's the pickup point!) http://www.getamericatours.com/A55870/tours.nsf/Tours/JTB?OpenDocument

Any thoughts and / or advice would be great, thanks!

Hey, when i was in San Fran i stayed in:

HI-San Francisco-Fisherman's Wharf

Its really nice and, up near the bay area.

Jennifer

Essentially,forget the Hostel.(Maybe Hotel?)Marco Island and Miami are about a few hundred miles apart.You will not
find anything cheap,on Marco Island,which you want to pay.The best,is to stay in Fort Myers,or Naples.In New York City
its entirely different,and in Niagara Falls,and being Alcatraz is another begining.You do not say where you are coming
from. There are Motels in most areas which you are wishing to travel.Why you go to Florida,then California and back to
New York and Niagara Falls has me baffled. With all the money you will be spending,just how much do you plan to save.

In San Francisco I stayed in a YHA near Union Square which is a little walk from Alcatraz but you are in a good area for shopping. Besides you can get the cable car down to fisherman's wharf which is something that has to be done. Hanging off the side is really fun but a bit dangerous when one comes the other way.

I visited New York around xmas time and the hostels were all booked up - i am not too sure there are many in NYC. I stayed in a Holiday Inn Express somewhere between 20th and 40th. It was comfortable and cheap. It was close to Madison Square Gardens.

[ Edit: Edited on Oct 26, 2008, at 7:42 AM by travbod579 ]

Thanks for the suggestions, I've had a look and the places look great

blueyankee, we are booked on a tour for part of our trip so hostels for those places are booked for us already, the places I've mentioned are the only ones we have left to sort out. We have no choice about going to Marco Bay coz we're going to a wedding there - I've seen how stupidly expensive it is to stay there and thought I'd ask if anyone knows any one off cheapys - unlikely i know but thought it was worth asking!

If you haven't made your booking in San Francisco yet, I would strongly recommend checking out the Red Victorian (www.redvic.com). My college-age daughter and her boyfriend stayed there and absolutely loved it. It's pretty affordable by SF standards, the location is perfect (Haight-Ashbury), and the staff is wonderful. Have a great trip!

Hi There, I am not sure if this is too late but i strongly strongly reccommend staying in the USA Hostel - San Fran in San Francisco. It is fantastic, cheap and very clean.
In NY we stayed in one called Jazz on the city. It was quite cool but the staff are a little up themself and tend to take over the social areas. Its based on 96th street upper west side. Very close to central park.

You will love San Fran. Make sure you do the push bike ride over the Golden Gate bridge and if you have time, do the large route. you woont regret it.

JD

thanks for all the suggestions, we haven't booked yet as we can't decide which ones to go with! it's all been really useful tho, thanks